Great Mentors Leave Lessons That Last a Lifetime
As I celebrate National Mentoring Day today, I took some time to reflect on who has had one of the greatest impacts on my career. It is none other than Paul Jones, a veteran hotelier and an extraordinary leader.
I first met Paul back in 2005, and then again in 2006 at One&Only Resorts. The rest is history.
A few years ago, when we met, I had the privilege of presenting Paul with a commemorative gold coin celebrating 50 years of Maldives tourism, as a small gesture of my gratitude. I felt Paul deserved it more than I did, considering his remarkable contribution to tourism in the Maldives and across the Indian Ocean.
As I reflect on his leadership, I have put together 10 lessons I have observed and learned from the way Paul led and operated.
10 Leadership Lessons from Paul Jones
1. Put people before everything else.
2. The real luxury is how you make people feel.
3. Create experiences, not simply services.
4. Build a culture that people believe in.
5. Respect the value of people’s time.
6. Lead by being present, not by staying behind a desk.
7. Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
8. Be courageous enough to challenge conventions.
9. Adapt, learn, and act responsibly.
10. Build a legacy through the people you develop.
As someone who has had the privilege of learning from Paul, I believe the greatest way to honour a mentor is to put those lessons into practice and pass them on to others.
Because the true measure of a mentor’s influence is not only what they teach us, but also what we do with what we have learned.
Happy National Mentoring Day.
